Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

[superbenk]

I have a LodeRite tilting trailer that came with my boat & never used the tilt feature. I'm not sure I could now that I ran hydraulic brake lines through the tongue without modification. It's always been a royal pain to get the boat on it straight when driving on. Even winching it on has been difficult to get it straight (the keel always seems off-center of the front keel roller). I've put a good bit of time & money into this trailer so I'd hate to have to replace it, but is there anything I can do to make this trailer more user-friendly at the ramps? I've fixed way too many gouges in my keel from going off the side of the rollers!

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

You might try installing centering bunks that guide the keel and hold it in position. Don't know if they will work on your particular trailer, but if you go to the ramp and look at other trailers, you might get some ideas on how to do it.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Sorry, it's a ShoreLand'r trailer, nit LodeRite.

Anyhow, does anyone else drive on load with this kind of trailer? Maybe I'm doing something wrong? If there's some addon bunks I could get or examples of something I could fabricate, I'd be interested in that too.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

You may be putting the trailer to deep in the water when retrieving boat.
It is sort of a learning curve.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

You may be putting the trailer to deep in the water when retrieving boat.
It is sort of a learning curve.

Tried going shallower today & it was worse. Front of the hull V is too steep to be affected be the bunks for centering when it's shallow so you just have the narrow keel rollers. The front roller is only about 5" wide, so if you're not centered on it, you quickly get all cockeyed and crooked (thus the gouges).

Going deeper with the trailer works ok as long as there's no current or wind. I built some guide posts for the back of the trailer, but they only help to an extent. It's really that front roller that's tough.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

When looking at your trailer in "zoom" I am not surprised that you have so much damage, you're sitting right on the center rail. Those rollers are useless where they are located.

I again suggest centering bunks. And when you are installing them, raise the outer bunks and the rollers an inch or so to give yourself some leeway between the keel and the rail.

The rollers only need to be there to protect the boat, not needed to support the boat, specially if you use the center bunks.

Luck!!

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Not exactually sure what you mean by self-centering bunk. Is this what you're talking about?

http://www.iboats.com/Tie-Down-Engi...75614083--**********.794026637--view_id.40440

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

No. They are bunks that support the boat just outboard of the keel, and keep it from hitting the rail. Then the rollers can act as additional protection, which is what they are intended to be. I hope I have successfully inserted a picture, but if not "google" "boat trailer setup pictures" and you will find various styles..

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Your trailer is not a drive on trailer. It is a tilt trailer and the boat is intended to be winched on it. The trailer in the pic above is a drive on, and I really doubt that the tilt trailer can be converted properly since it doesn't have a wide enough front cross member.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Your trailer is not a drive on trailer. It is a tilt trailer and the boat is intended to be winched on it. The trailer in the pic above is a drive on, and I really doubt that the tilt trailer can be converted properly since it doesn't have a wide enough front cross member.

You are correct, however, that doesn't mean he can't change it to meet his needs (wants). I changed one many years ago, and I am sure there are others that modify their trailers to meet their needs.

A specific built drive-on type trailer would be best, but he could, if he wants to spend the additional money, to adapt his current trailer to drive-on capability.

I again would suggest going to a boat ramp and closely examine the trailers there to see how they are set-up and what materials are needed to do it.

 

[dozerII]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

I think I would try a couple of self centering rollers first, in the rear and 3rd from rear spots first. This would make sure the boat comes on straight in the first tthree rollers. http://www.iboats.com/Self-Centerin...59717169--**********.799808610--view_id.56624

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

You are correct, however, that doesn't mean he can't change it to meet his needs (wants). I changed one many years ago, and I am sure there are others that modify their trailers to meet their needs.

A specific built drive-on type trailer would be best, but he could, if he wants to spend the additional money, to adapt his current trailer to drive-on capability.

I again would suggest going to a boat ramp and closely examine the trailers there to see how they are set-up and what materials are needed to do it.

Exactly. I know it's not a drive-on trailer & not really intended to do what I want, but the boat is too old to make it worthwhile to invest in a different trailer if I can modify this one to work. Though I have been thinking of looking around for a cheap trailer that could be restored & swapping some of my trailer's parts over to it (ie, winch, tongue jack, brakes, LEDs, etc.). Guess I'll keep my eyes/ears open for some <$500 deals.

I think I would try a couple of self centering rollers first, in the rear and 3rd from rear spots first. This would make sure the boat comes on straight in the first tthree rollers. http://www.iboats.com/Self-Centerin...59717169--**********.799808610--view_id.56624

I considered these awhile back. I'm skeptical of how well they will work for my problem. Seems like I'd still need something for the forward keel like bunks just because there is such a long span between the front end of my existing bunks and the front of the keel. I'm trying to think of some clever way of positioning some bunks for that. The unfortunate thing with these rollers is that I'd have to get new brackets too since my existing mid-keel rollers are all 8" (& nice poly ones too ).

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Your trailer is not a drive on trailer. It is a tilt trailer and the boat is intended to be winched on it. The trailer in the pic above is a drive on, and I really doubt that the tilt trailer can be converted properly since it doesn't have a wide enough front cross member.

I'm still trying to determine how that trailer in the 1st picture tilts. Sorry, don't see it!

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

I'm still trying to determine how that trailer in the 1st picture tilts. Sorry, don't see it!

Maybe this will help:

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Some additional photos:

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

OK, Very clear now. Agree that what you have is keel roller bunk trailer with tilt and with that being said it was not designed or intended to be driven onto. Would work very well if loaded the way it was intended.

I also don't see any easy solution to making a change to the trailer. Somehow you would need to add a second set of bunks that would extend almost to the bow roller and then raise the bunks enough that they would elmininate the keel rollers.

 

[2 Eagles]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Try adding side bunks or rollers with a v brace around the hinge point area. The later is what a buddy did and it worked graet for him.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

Try adding side bunks or rollers with a v brace around the hinge point area. The later is what a buddy did and it worked graet for him.

That's what I'm thinking of doing. Not quite sure how I'm going to mount some bunks that far up, but I'll come up with something.

I already have some guide-ons that I made myself which definitely help, but it's too easy for the boat to get crooked up at the bow still.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

If it were me, I'd add a set of guide on bunks on each side and/or a set of guide on poles to help align the boat. I've got several tilt type trailers and only use the tilt feature to launch the boat. I back mine in till the bunks are about 1/3 submerged and winch the boat on. A little bunk lube or even those plastic bunk covers may help too.

Also, if your bunk boards were longer, long enough that the bow contacted the ends of the bunk boards before the first keel roller when loading, the boat would tend to self center as well.
A self centering keel roller at the very rear would also aid getting the boat centered with less grief.

To make that trailer tilt again all you need to do is add a flexible hose mid brake line where the tongue hinges.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Make tilt trailer easier to drive on?

I have guide-on poles at the back & they do help some. I have a plan for adding an additional set of bunks up near the bow that will hug the keel more that should help tremendously. I'll definitely post pics of the final product when I'm done.